The present invention relates to a memory card, memory card communication control method, electronic device, and wireless communication system.
There is a memory card that can be inserted into and removed from an electronic device and used to exchange data with the electronic device. The electronic device may be a notebook personal computer, desktop personal computer, or a mobile device such as a digital camera or camera-incorporated cellular phone.
A memory card incorporating a Bluetooth or other wireless communication function, which is a kind of a wireless LAN function, is disclosed, for instance, by Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2001-77878. The wireless communication function can easily be added to the electronic device by inserting the memory card having the wireless communication function into the electronic device.
However, when the above memory card having the wireless communication function is to be used, it is necessary to use special driver software that controls the wireless communication function of the electronic device. There is no problem if the electronic device is a personal computer or like device on which the driver software can be installed. However, the memory card having the wireless communication function cannot easily be used if the employed electronic device is a digital camera, cellular phone, or like device on which the driver software cannot be installed.
Further, the outside dimensions of the memory card having the wireless communication function are often greater than those of a common memory card because the memory card having the wireless communication function needs to have an adequate space for electronic parts and antenna for implementing the Bluetooth or other wireless communication function.
Since a personal computer can be often used with a memory slot left open, the memory card having the wireless communication function can be used without causing any problem even if it protrudes out of the slot into which it is inserted.
However, mobile devices such as digital cameras and cellular phones have a memory card slot that is to be closed with a cover for memory card protection purposes. Therefore, if the employed memory card having the communication function has greater outside dimensions than a common memory card, the cover cannot be installed over the slot. Consequently, the previously developed memory card having the wireless communication function cannot readily be used with a digital camera, cellular phone, or other mobile device.